


A Perfect Peace

by bluemermaid



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-05
Updated: 2012-12-05
Packaged: 2017-11-20 09:42:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/583956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluemermaid/pseuds/bluemermaid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lavender and Parvati knew what would happen to them if they were caught outside after curfew; still, they couldn't seem to help themselves. Two best friends try to find some peace in the midst of a frightening war zone. Takes place during the events of Deathly Hallows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Perfect Peace

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written in 2009 for the hp_summersmut fest over at Livejournal.

It was always dark at Hogwarts these days. Somehow, despite the coming of Spring, the sky over the Great Hall remained cloudy and dark, and the lights in the corridors were never enough to brighten the gloom. It was as though unseen Dementors lurked around every corner, hiding behind suits of armor just waiting for the next soul to steal. The atmosphere of war stained everything. 

Clouds of dust and fear hovered above Lavender Brown as she peered around a corner, looking towards the front entrance of the school. There didn't seem to be anyone around; Filch, the caretaker, had headed upstairs to monitor the students climbing back into their dormitories. The Carrow siblings had already been seen, dragging another poor young child off to the dungeons for one of their sadistic torture sessions. They had tried to stop these things, the DA, but it was like standing before an avalanche; they were only swept away. Lavender looked behind her, to her friend Parvati, who nodded solemnly as she took Lavender's hand. Quickly, casting fearful glances around them all the while, they ran desperately for the door, slipping out quietly onto the grounds. 

The sunlight hit them like a spell, blinding them briefly before their eyes adjusted. It was evening, nearly dark, but there was still warmth and sun, and the very sight was a comfort to the girls. But they weren't safe yet, standing in the open, exposed in the doorway for all to see. Grasping each other's fingers more tightly, they continued to run, casting backwards glances towards the doorway as they ran around the outside of the castle, keeping tightly to the wall in an effort to avoid being seen. 

It was nearly curfew. The moment the sun set properly, the magical alarms would sound if any humans were about. Lavender and Parvati were well aware of what would happen to them if they were caught outdoors after dark. Still, somehow they could not help themselves. The gloom of the castle was suffocating; they needed air. Turning the corner, they broke into a run, desperate, the tantalizing promise of safety so close it spurred them on ever more quickly. And there it grew, that twisted oak tree with the long limbs, hugging the back wall of the castle, creating a tiny crawl space through which they smuggled themselves, settling in quietly between the thick, rough trunk of the tree and the cool stones of the castle wall. If they sat just so, nobody could ever find them. They would remain unseen, two shaking, panting young women with nothing but the simplest of hopes in their heart – that they could steal just one moment for themselves, one perfect moment of peace. 

"Parvati," said Lavender, gripping her friend's arm, fingers scrambling for purchase as she trembled. "We're losing, aren't we? The army, I mean. We're not making a difference." 

"Look, the tree's blooming," said Parvati, who did not come to this spot to talk of war. She pointed upwards, and they stared, watching the little buds sway in the breeze, the first signs of Spring. Beneath them they could feel the grass, cool and damp, sparse patches of softness scattered amongst the expanses of hard dirt. It wasn't a bad evening to be outdoors; now that they were settled in their safe place, they could appreciate the atmosphere around them, the streaks of fading sunlight illuminating every crooked rock and tree, the cool wind caressing their hair. The world seemed poised on the edge of Spring; they could almost feel the seedlings trembling beneath them, readying themselves for their new lives in the earth. 

"A flower," said Lavender, smiling, and she reached down to touch it, fingering the gentle white petals, imagining how beautiful it would look perched in her hair. Or Parvati's, it would suit her perfectly; her hair was made for flowers. "I just adore Spring." 

"Me too." Parvati squeezed her friend's shoulder, a comforting gesture, hoping to somehow supply some warmth on this cool evening. They needed warmth more than ever now. 

"What if we don't ever see a Spring like this again?" Lavender asked, leaning back against Parvati, her hands reaching up to meet the other's, fingers intertwining on her shoulders. "What if they find a way to take this, too?" 

"They won't," Parvati said fiercely. "We won't let them." 

"We're just kids," Lavender countered, voice shaking. "What can we do? Even the Order is giving up. Can't you feel it? We're losing." 

"We're not just kids," said Parvati, tightening her hold on Lavender, on her dreams. "We're Gryffindors. We're an army. The Order's not done yet; they're just lying low until it's time to strike." 

"And when is that?" Lavender asked desperately, pulling on Parvati now, fingers traveling over slim wrists and forearms. "When will they strike, after we've all been locked up and beaten, cursed to oblivion? Can't you see how we're suffering, Par? They're killing our childhood. I've loved Hogwarts so much, and they're killing it. They're killing me." 

Parvati shifted in the crevice, releasing Lavender's hands and crawling around her, her body sliding against Lavender as she circled around to meet her eyes. She placed her hands gently upon Lavender's cheeks, warm and slightly clammy, comforting all the same. "We're still alive, Lav. We're alive, and we're here, and we're going to beat this. You'll see."

"I just don't want to lose you," Lavender whispered, eyes moist, though they both knew she would not cry, not anymore. "You're my best friend." 

Parvati grinned. "I'm not planning on going anywhere, Lav." 

"Everything's changing," Lavender whispered, slowly placing her hands on Parvati's waist, circling her torso, stroking the soft skin in the narrow space between blouse and skirt. "I hate change." 

"Some change is good," Parvati said, struggling to breathe, voice husky in the slowly darkening sky. "Just think, once this is over, we'll be stronger than ever." 

"I miss being weak," Lavender said. "It used to be okay to be weak." 

"We're Gryffindors," Parvati said again, their faces inching closer, feeling each other's breath on their cheeks. They were touching all over now, hands and breasts and hips, and Parvati lost her trail of thought, lost the feel of hard earth beneath her, lost war and fear and darkness, lost everything but the honey brown of Lavender's eyes. "We're not weak, never weak." 

"I miss our dorm room," Lavender said, voice lower than a whisper. "Our beds. Just you and me, whispering in the dark." 

"We're whispering here," Parvati said, grinning, letting her hands trail down Lavender's neck and shoulders, squeezing her arms. 

"It's nearly curfew," said Lavender, worry shining in her eyes. 

"Fuck curfews," Parvati countered. 

Later, they wouldn't know, they couldn't say who started it, who leaned in, pressing her lips hungrily to the other's, hands straying to soft, round breasts under starched blouses, squeezing and moaning. Their tongues darted out, playing, testing the waters before giving in, tangling and stroking, licking at one another. Parvati pushed Lavender up against the oak tree and trailed kisses down her jaw and neck. She was so pale, nearly glowing in the sunset, collarbones jutting out like wings. They hadn't been eating well lately, fear gnawing away at their stomachs and leaving no room for food. But there were no thoughts of fear here, in their secret space, in their perfect peace. Lavender moaned and giggled, pulled at Parvati's shirt collar, and tugged her back for more of her mouth, their soft lips meeting again and again. 

They had thought about this before, both of them, separately and never aloud, in the corners of their lives, late night fantasies and fevered dreams. It had never seemed right before, the kind of thing you can only think about but never do. But, as Lavender had said, everything was changing, and this was the only way they could think of to hold on, to go back to the old days, the safe days. Kissing was a promise, an agreement to remember how things used to be, giggling in the corridors between classes. They would always partner in Charms and Transfiguration, laughing at some silly misstep, turning chickens blue and setting their hats on fire. Passing notes in History of Magic, rating the boys in their year, gossiping over when Pansy would finally land Draco and whether Hermione would ever pull her nose out of a book long enough to date. 

They were inseparable, lying on their stomachs in the common room and sharing notes so as to better complete their homework, sharing spoonfuls in the Great Hall, stuffed snugly into the corner of the Gryffindor booth during Quidditch games. They always gasped in unison, whenever someone managed a spectacular dive. Agony over what to wear to Hogsmeade, trying on each other's dress robes, sharing secret worries in the dead of night. It was this they missed most, disembodied voices in the dark, talking about school troubles and young love. How Snape was such a git, Seamus had smiled at Lavender during dinner, would sex hurt the first time? Fervent nods and stifled laughter, the constant assurances that yes, the other felt the exact same way. It was a magic all their own. 

Parvati had had similar closeness before, with her twin sister, but it was never like this. Padma would never stay up all night talking; she threw the covers over her head and complained that she had a test in the morning. And it only got worse at Hogwarts, where they gradually saw less and less of one another. Eventually, summers became unbearable; Padma shutting herself up in her room studying her new textbooks while Parvati sat outside in the hot sun and wrote letters to Lavender. There were no more ice creams to share between sisters, no more hidden smirks when company couldn't tell them apart. Besides, Parvati had never wanted to kiss her sister, could not imagine touching anyone else this way, the way she had always wanted to touch Lavender. 

Parvati had done things with boys, a kiss here and there, a lunch in Hogsmeade, but it was nothing, mere games, something to laugh about later that night with Lav. She knew it wasn't the same with her friend; she knew that Lavender had really cared for Seamus, for Ron, and Parvati had stood patiently by and watched her friend stumble through these relationships, smothering her man with gifts and kisses until he grew past her and moved on. And Lavender would cry in Parvati's arms that night, bemoaning the stupidity of boys, and they would both think of how wonderful it could be to just kiss each other, though they were far too embarrassed to do anything about it. 

It was all of this and more as Parvati kissed Lavender's stomach, pulled her shirt up over her breasts, squeezed and fondled their gentle softness through the thin lace bra she wore. Sometimes people did things in times of war, things they would never do otherwise. Parvati would not admit that Lavender had frightened her, that maybe she never would see another Spring, but she knew that if things hadn't become so difficult, they may never have found the courage to kiss one another. You never knew, in times like these, what you would lose, and they were determined not to lose this, their chance to be together, to share this comfort, this peace, this acknowledgement of what they really meant to one another. 

"Par, I need you," Lavender moaned quietly, almost unheard in the gentle wind of evening. Parvati smiled against her stomach and slid her hands up Lavender's thighs, thumbs brushing against her white cotton knickers. Lavender leaned her head back and closed her eyes, hands clasping Parvati's shoulders, the budding leaves above them casting dancing shadows on her eyelids. 

Parvati pulled Lavender's knickers off slowly, hands trembling. It had all seemed so natural until this moment, when a cold wind of awkwardness blew in; Lavender lying on a twisted tree trunk with her legs spread wide, her body exposed. Parvati looked, hard, and swallowed. She was beautiful, pink and fleshy, slightly moist and topped with soft, golden brown curls. It was nothing like her own, dark and wrinkled, the hairs wiry. The contrast shocked her, aroused her. 

Lavender opened her eyes and smiled. "It's all right, you know," she said, laughing, her voice like a bell. "I want you to." 

Parvati smiled up at her and gently stroked Lavender's lips with one finger, her breath catching in her throat at the wetness, at how smooth and soft the skin was. "You're beautiful, Lav." 

Lavender laughed. "Kiss me." 

Parvati did, desperately, sliding her tongue through Lavender's folds with a growl deep in her throat. Lavender closed her eyes and let her head loll against the tree, not even minding the rough bark cutting into her skin, not feeling anything but Parvati's tongue probing her depths, her lips sucking gently, deep wet kisses on her clit. 

Birds rustled above them, settling into their newly built nests for the night, and the tree branches swayed in the breeze as Lavender clenched her fists and cried out, waves of pleasure radiating throughout her body. It wasn't just anyone above her, no random man's warmth seeping into her skin; it was Parvati, her best friend, her confidante and her partner in this deteriorating world of war and magic. Parvati was small and soft and nothing at all like a man, and Lavender found this startlingly comforting, the fact that it was a girl tasting her for the first time, though she knew it would be different if it were anyone but Parvati. 

Parvati bit down on her Lavender's lips, teeth scraping in a desperate struggle for more of Lavender's skin, and Lavender squealed at the piercing, the pain tangled in the pleasure. It was like her life in this castle, running around the corners with Parvati, trying to avoid the curses. Tears threatened to fall once again; not of mourning this time, they were a celebration, an overwhelming surge of joy in knowing that she could be here now, snuggled between a stone and a tree trunk, hands grasping at low hanging branches as Parvati kissed her over and over again. 

And when Lavender came she thought of freedom, of sun-dappled hillsides and freshwater streams running over her ankles. The taste of fresh apples, running barefoot through the tall grass. And Parvati always beside her, touching her, laughing, her head thrown back in delight. Lavender ran her hands through Parvati's hair, her grip tightening, midnight strands slipping through her fingers like sand, particles of time falling away. 

Parvati looked up at her as her spasms ebbed away, leaving a muddy mess of satisfaction and emptiness, a longing for more. "How did I do?" She was grinning, playing at casual, but this wasn't just some game, curious girls experimenting one boring rainy day. They weren’t playing, only struggling to find some way to live. 

Lavender couldn't help but smile, reaching her arms out towards Parvati, coaxing her nearer, reveling in the feel of Parvati's skin sliding over hers. "You're lovely," Lavender said, kissing Parvati's forehead, her eyelids, her cheekbones. 

"Oh, Lav." Parvati sighed happily, resting her head on Lavender's chest. "I wish we could stay here all night." 

Lavender looked up, through the buds on the tree, the miniature leaves like babies. She thought of all the children out there, too young for Hogwarts, innocently dreaming of their futures here, futures that, even now, in this perfect moment, were hanging in the balance. "The curfew alarm's about to go off," she said, surprised it hadn't already; the sky was darkening quickly and nothing ever went her way these days. 

Parvati drew circles on Lavender's stomach, awed by the contrast, chocolate nails on a vanilla cream landscape. They looked so different, and yet their insides were identical. Lavender was the very opposite of Padma, who was nothing but Parvati's reflection. Lavender shared Parvati's carefree laughter, her love of Divination, her wildness and freedom. Now, finally, huddled in a crawl space just waiting to be captured, Parvati understood soul mates. 

"Even if we die tomorrow," she whispered, eyes drifting shut, "I'd be happy." 

"Don't be so melodramatic," said Lavender, shifting, rousing Parvati from her half-sleep, her dreams of pale skin and pink lips. "Besides, if we did die tomorrow, how would I ever get to taste you?" 

They smiled the same smile, and then the moment broke, their peace dissipating into the air with the last of the sunlight. Hands clasping, fingers holding tight to one another, they ran back into the castle, skirts billowing in the wind and hearts alight with the promise of tomorrow.


End file.
